1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for securing the transmission of data over an electronic network, and more particularly, to a method employing biometrics to confirm the identity of individuals transmitting data over an electronic network thereby ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of messages and documents transmitted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of the World Wide Web, local area networks and wide area networks to transmit electronic messages from one computer to another computer is well known. Many organizations and individuals use electronic mail applications such as Microsoft™ Outlook™ to send electronic mail (e-mail) from one location to another. While these applications may have internal security measures embedded within them, they cannot always provide the adequate level of security necessary to transmit sensitive information relating to corporate activities over such networks. It is well known that the security and integrity of information sent over electronic messaging systems can be corrupted through unauthorized interception and modification of such information. As well, in a corporate environment, there may be hundreds of computers electronically joined in a single networked system. Often, these computers are openly available to any user to access the networked system. Where passwords are used to restrict access to authorized personnel, such passwords can be stolen or decrypted. Therefore, the opportunity for insecure and unauthorized access to a networked system exists and under such circumstances the risk of mischief is high. It is well known that significant damage and loss of competitive advantage can result from unauthorized use of corporate computers, interception of sensitive corporate information and premeditated corruption of sensitive information. Present e-mail applications fall short of providing the required degree of security for the transmission of sensitive corporate information over a computer network.
Therefore there is a requirement for effective control of access to computer networks, authentication of users of computer networks and secure transmission of sensitive information over computer networks. There is also a requirement to provide security measures that are simple to use and are compatible with commercially available e-mail applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,005 issued to Thorne et al. on Sep. 28, 1999 entitled “Electronic Mail Security” teaches a method, system and product for communicating data text messages, such as E-Mail, between computers connected to a network while providing selectable degrees of security for each message. The methodology comprises the procedure of creating in the originating computer a data message having a header which specifies, in addition to the address of the intended recipient computer, one or more security parameters which control the processing of the data message in the recipient computer. The security parameters include instructions for erasure of the data message following its storage in the recipient computer. The security parameters also include instructions as to whether or not copying, archiving, forwarding and printing of the data message is permitted. The recipient computer processes the data message in accordance with the instructions. The erasure is of such a nature as to render the data message irretrievable. However, Thorne does not include methods for authenticating the identification of the sender or the recipient and restricting the access to confidential messages only to authenticated users.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,231 issued to Foss, et al. on Sep. 12, 2000 for a “Data scanning network security technique” discloses a system and method for providing enhanced computer network security by scanning data, specifically electronic mail messages, sent to the network before the data is received and transmitted by the network's mail server. An e-mail message is received by a computer network configured to receive data and is checked as the data is received and before it is transmitted to a node on the computer network. The method includes determining whether an external source is attempting to establish a mail connection with the computer network configured to include a data-scanning device that recognizes one or more data transfer protocols. Once the data is received the data-scanning device begins evaluating the data by first determining whether the data is formatted according to one of the recognized protocols. The data-scanning device begins scanning the data for acceptable content and format according to a rule set established by one of the recognized protocols. This is done at the same time as the data-scanning device receives the data. It is then determined whether the data should be sent to its destination on the computer network. If necessary, the data is translated before being passed to its destination on the computer network. Foss does not address the issues of unauthorized use of computer networks or the authentication of network users.
Therefore, insofar as we are aware, no formerly developed method of electronic mail security provides for the necessary degree of authentication of network system users, authentication of senders and recipients of electronic documents and controlled access to confidential documents sent over electronic networks.